1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to the packetized transmission of video and audio information; and, more particularly, to the encryption/decryption and transfer of multimedia content.
2. Related Art
The structure and operation of communication systems is generally known. Communication systems include both wired and wireless communication systems. Examples of wired communication systems are the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), packet switched telephone networks, optical networks, cable networks, Local Area Networks (LANS) such as Ethernet networks, and various other wired networks that communicably couple serviced devices via wired links. Wireless communication systems includes cellular communication systems, Wireless Wide Area Networks (WWANs) such as WiMAX communication systems, satellite based communication systems, fixed wireless communication system, Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs), and Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPANs), among other wireless networks. The structure and operation of these networks are generally known.
The transport of multimedia content is also generally known. Multimedia content typically includes video content, audio content, metadata, and control information. For example, in a satellite television system, multimedia content stored in a first location or captured via video cameras and sound systems that are at a respective location, e.g., sports stadium, are transferred wirelessly from the content source/capture location via the satellite communication system to a receiving device. The receiving device typically includes both a satellite receiver and a rendering device such as a television and/or multimedia entertainment system. An example of such a structure includes a home based television system that receives the multimedia content via the satellite communication network receiver. A similar structure exists within a cable television communication system where a rendering device couples to a cable television receiver that receives multimedia content from a remote location via the cable network. Broadcast television systems, which have been known for many years, broadcast multimedia content to local recipients that receive such multimedia content via receiving devices. In all cases, one or more rendering devices within the premises, for example at home, will receive and present the multimedia content to one or more users.
Home based/premises based multimedia communication systems typically include source devices, communication networks, and rendering devices. Rendering devices may include, for example, video monitors, surround sound systems, whole house audio networks, combination devices that present both audio and video content, and/or a combination of these. Source devices include receivers of remotely stored/generated content and local storage of the multimedia content. The local storage may include hard disk drives and videotape recording devices, for example. The local storage may receive multimedia content from a remote source via another source device, for example, and store the multimedia content locally for either immediate or later presentation by a rendering device. Further, other source devices within such a home/premises multimedia communication system may produce content from a portable storage device such as a DVD or CD. Such source devices extract multimedia content from the portable storage device and provide the multimedia content to one or more rendering devices for presentation to a user. The home/premises communication network may include one or more wired and/or wireless networks. For example, a home/premises communication network may include an Ethernet network, a cable network, an optical network, and/or one or more wireless networks, which may include one or more WLANs, WPANs, and/or other wireless communication enabling networks.
Various problems exist with regard to not only the receipt but with the presentation of multimedia content within a home/premises multimedia network as well. For example, when a source device that receives multimedia content from a remote source employs the premises communication network for transport of the multimedia content to a rendering device, various problems may exist. These problems may include, for example, selection of available premises communication networks for transport to the rendering device and overcoming a greater bit error rate of the home/premises communication network than that of a remote network that supported delivery of remotely generated content to the servicing source device. Further, Digital Rights Management (DRM) is required for the presentation of some multimedia content. For example, a source of the multimedia content may require that one or more rendering devices of the multimedia content support particular DRM operations. When the home/premises based multimedia communication systems enable the Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) operations, particular DRM operations are required. However, these DRM operations, which include encryption at various protocol layers may be not supportable by home/premises communication networks of the home/premises based multimedia communication systems due to their supported Bit Error Rates (BERs).
These and other limitations and deficiencies associated with the related art may be more fully appreciated by those skilled in the art after comparing such related art with various aspects of the present invention as set forth herein with reference to the figures.